


On Fandomism

by NeoNeo1212



Category: Multi-Fandom, My Little Pony, Non-Fiction - Fandom, Original Work, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types, Star Wars - All Media Types, Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Bullying, Dysfandoms, Fandom Trumps Hate, Furries, I'm sure that this will relate to some fandom you're in, International Fanworks Day, References to Sonic the Hedgehog, Steven Universe References, actually autistic, anti-cringe culture, demonization
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:21:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29317806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeoNeo1212/pseuds/NeoNeo1212
Summary: I'm tired of this.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	On Fandomism

Dear Fandomists,

I am a furry, or rather a kemonoist as I prefer to call myself. I have no interest in creating fursuits, but I am still interested nonetheless in the kemono aesthetic. I do not recall fully as to what exposed me to the idea of this world in the first place, but it has since stuck with me for almost a decade now.

What made me decide to come out now is, to be blunt, the stigma surrounding these subcultures. I've dealt with fandom-related stigma more than I or anyone else can keep count of. Being a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog who actually fits into the stereotype of being autistic almost spelt my death until I learned to own everything. The situation was the same for me with My Little Pony, which I have also made peace with. Stigma surrounds the very concept of fandom itself from the simple consumption of material to "shipping" to cosplay and more.

The idea of interest equating to obsession pervades the internet...and it's something that should be owned because, if you ask me, it's far better than being obsessed with heroin or something of the like. The attempts to justify this stigma range from various pseudo-traumas that have been inflicted upon fandomists. They complain that they have been hurt by "rabid" and "toxic" fans, their favorite terms to use when attacking fandom. They will make war with you because you don't behave in a manner that is respectable to them.

Do not be afraid to stand up for what you enjoy if it is being attacked. If someone or something makes the generalization that fandom is "cancer," I believe you owe an obligation to fight back with full force.

Fandom is for everyone...and you cannot stop it.

Fandomists, I'm tired of you.

I'm tired of gnashing my teeth in abidance to you. I'm tired of you labeling every single fandom as "toxic." I'm tired of your pathological fear of disagreement. I'm tired of you policing the internet forcing you twisted idea of respectability onto everything.

I am a proud advocate of dysfandoms. If you do not know what a dysfandom is, it is what you would most likely suspect as a "dysfunctional fandom." These fandoms are not afraid to get down and dirty to bring about change. No fandom should be afraid of having a debate no matter how vicious it may sound.

If there is a group that is fighting for characters to be in character when they are licensed for western viewing under a company infamously known for butchering anime, you do not put a clamp on them. If there is a group that feels that a cartoonist is wrongly sympathizing with fascists and abusers, you do not have the right to silence them. It's their right to be angry.

If there is let alone a group that is fighting over which generation had it best, you have no right to silence it. People need to debate in order to grow that way. What you falsely believe as "forcing opinions onto others" is anything but. People have the right to say no to policers like you when you try to control a situation that is beyond your control to begin with.

So what if some fandoms are unpleasable? You're never allowed to hold them up for public ridicule on your favorite social media site because you find it "cringeworthy."

The same goes for shippers and creators of original characters. I don't care if they are recolors or not, because I know for fact that they will evolve. What is a character that is colored black and red and possesses misanthropic characteristics harming? I ask the same to a characters that refuses to conform to regular definitions regarding sexuality and gender.

You need to stop pretending that you are the arbiter and mind your own business.

**Author's Note:**

> There is no such thing as either a toxic or healthy fandom. Barring the usage of words that categorize people based on superficial respectability, fandom itself doesn't really exist. As such, there is also no such thing as internet drama. People fight over different opinions all the time, and it honestly hurts that a big deal has been made of it since the mid-2000's. If you can't handle the heat, then stay out of the kitchen. You cannot force everyone to get along.
> 
> I wrote this because International Fanworks Day is coming up.


End file.
